Jen needs - a meme

This meme has been popping up on facebook now and then. It's actually been going around the internet for several years now. I finally decided to try it. The funny thing is that I found tons of other "Jen needs" lists...some written as far back as 2005.

So here you go..this is what I need (according to Google).

Here are the directions, in case you want to join in the fun:
Type “[your first name] needs” into Google’s search engine and list the first ten results. Nearly all will be amusing, but you’re supposed to underline the ones that are actually true about you.

1. Jen needs to have a session or two with a therapist.
2. Jen needs rates on 2 scenarios.
3. Jen needs to find a self righteous, conspicuous "I'm better than you" charitable position so she can keep charming the sheep into thinking she matters a rat's ass.
4. Jen needs human anatomy lessons.
5. Jen needs to wise up.
6. Jen needs a muzzle.
7. Jen needs a tech makeover.
8. Jen needs you.
9. Jen needs to use the bathroom.
10. Jen needs a new job.

Blogger Stress!!

I remember when I didn't know what a blog was. Once I figured it out, I knew I had to have one. The problem is that the blogger world is advancing much faster than I have time to figure it all out.

First of all, do you know how many different blog sites there are to choose from? I mean really, who has time to figure out which one does what? There is blogspot, typepad, word press, movable type and the list goes on and on I'm sure. I did find a web page that offers cheatsheets for these different platforms - but I don't have time to read it.

Then, once you have decided on a platform to use, I choose blogger, it's time to figure out how to add a cute template to your blog to make it graphically appealing. There is the banner, sidebar, header, footer, scrollbars, links, background images, labels and so on.

And if this wasn't enough to make your head spin, don't forget the Digg button and the RSS feed, followers, videos, ads, contests, give aways, and widgets!! Oh geez, this is enough to make my head spin!!

But that is the EASY stuff. The hard part, for me, is trying to figure out what to write about. I need a theme. Do I write about my family? my daily craziness? stuff I like?

I guess the only thing I know, is that this is one thing I am determined to figure out. It may take me all year - but I'm gonna have a blog!

Random-ness

1. I am worse than the person who doesn’t know how to say “no.” I don't have to say no because I just offer my time and myself way too much.
2. I felt so guilty when I first bought my Blackberry a year ago. Now I’m not sure I could live without it.
3. The sun makes me sneeze.
4. I gave birth without drugs…on purpose.
5. Key lime pie is my favorite dessert.
6. I wish I had more time for hobbies. There are so many things I’d love to try: digital scrapbooking, taking a photography class, trying out for a play, gardening, etc.
7. I used to teach childbirth classes – my favorite part was attending the births. I’ve been to all kinds of births (home births, free standing birth center births, hospital births –natural, no drugs, hospital births with drugs, and caesarean births, too.
8. I love taking my kids to museums, Broadway shows, national monuments, etc. I would like to spend a summer traveling across the country doing nothing but that.
9. I’m a jazzercise snob. I can’t attend any other type of exercise class b/c I think they are way too boring and stupid. I only like jazzercise.
10. If someone sends me a chain letter via email that contains some kind of urban legend (for example…”This really works! Send this letter to 25 people and you will get free laptop!”), the first thing I do is go to the SNOPES webpage to prove them wrong.
11. Raising an 8 year old daughter is the HARDEST thing I have ever done. God help me when she’s 13!
12. I absolutely LOVE my dvr. I wouldn’t have time to watch TV without it.
13. Ever since last year, when winter would not leave, I have come to despise it. I hate the cold weather. Come on summer, hurry up and get here!
14. If you love my kids – I will love you. If you want to see the mama bear come out, mess with my kids.
15. I miss the times when my kids were babies. I stayed at home with them, organized playgroups, nursed them, wore them in a sling, took them to Musik Garten, cloth diapered them, slept with them. It all seems like another lifetime.
16. I went to seven different elementary schools. This has affected me in at least 2 ways: I make friends easily and find that I have something in common with almost everyone AND I am tortured by the thought of my kids not being at a good school – which is why they’ve been in private school for the last 6 years.
17. I think it’s funny how my classmates at KU think I am so smart, like I can just get an A without effort. I work by a** off for those A’s – but I do have to admit, somehow it is a bit easier for me now. I think I just know how to study better than I did when I was in high school/undergraduate school.
18. I love video games. If I’m on the phone with someone at home, I’m usually playing Zuma at the same time.
19. I love to listen to books on CD while I am driving in the car. I can get through a lot of books that way (because I seem to be in the car all the time!).
20. I love my job. Seriously, I’m not sure why I am even going back to school when I already have the best job in the world.
21. When we bought our house, there was a tree growing out the foundation. The previous owners had chopped it down but once spring arrived, that tree popped right back out. After several failed attempts at chopping it back down – I decided to just dig it up (rather than pay someone to remove it). It took me several days to get it done. My son said it looked like a meteor had hit the side of our house. I wish I had taken a picture.
22. When a section of our sewer pipe had to be removed, I dug that up, too.
23. I have an irrational fear of food contamination. I won’t eat left over’s or food that might have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. I won’t touch raw meat – the very thought of meat (dead animals) makes me feel sick. Thank goodness my husband does all the cooking!
24. I’ve watched Days of Our Lives for over 20 years. (Thank you dvr).
25. I can’t resist an open house. I love to see the insides of other homes.

AND HERE IS PAUL'S RESPONSE......
#1. True, my wife can say no to almost nobody.
#2. Also true. I just know that my wife will probably need a newer, better one (blackberry) here in a minute. Potentially a good birthday present or something else.
#3. Funny, but also true, the sun does make her sneeze.
#4. True (she did give birth without drugs on purpose), and it was the best birth I have ever attended, although I have only attended two births.
#5. Key lime pie is her favorite desert. I usually by her Edwards or Sarah Lee, it's in the frozen section at the grocery store.
#6. My basement and garage are full of UNFINISHED PROJECTS that my wife began. We sold a bunch at our last yard sale. My wife's hobby is starting hobbies, but this makes her knowledgeable about almost EVERY darn thing.
#7. She will go to anyone's birth, just invite her. I can admit that I am VERY flexible to make her presence at other people's births possible.
#8. Me too. . . but having the time and money to travel across the country to lots of museums is tuff.
#9. . . .
#10. I just delete chain letter emails and don't read them.
#11. I say, God help up us when our daughter is 15-17!!! I don't think thirteen will be that bad. Hormones + Attitude = VERY BAD DAY!
#12. Our DVR was a present of sorts to each other and the family, and it has been a good idea.
#13. Amen.
#14. . .
#15. Maybe we could have more kids.
#16. I went to the same for school for my ENTIRE life and would love to have it the same way for my kids, but I know that isn't happening.
#17. My wife is smart!
#18. I could go the rest of my life and never play another video game and it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit, but I did buy my wife Guitar Hero for Christmas, along with an Animal Crossing Guide and a WII Speak, and then said it was okay with me to get a WII Fit. It keeps her happy and helps her to relax. If you play Animal Crossing come visit my wife's town.
#19. Books on tape in the car put me to sleep. Not a good idea. But talk radio; now that gets my blood pumping.
#20. Yeah. . . I remain confused about that one too. . .
#21. My wife deserves a plaque for her efforts in digging up that tree's roots, along with about three or four others in our backyard that she failed to mention.
#22. My wife also deserves an award for single handedly digging up the sewer pipe. Please understand that I was out of town on business for the entire week and so don't assume I told her to dig it up.
#23. I love to cook; I love to cook even more for my wife, but she is not allowed to watch, because if she sees me cooking her food she sometimes will not eat it, weird. Friends like to have us over for dinner because I volunteer to cook (partially because I have this belief that other people's food is kinda gross), because I know what is in the food when I prepare it. Also, If there are left overs at our house, they must be eaten within 24hrs are they get tossed.
#24. . .
#25. . .